The Differences Between Romantic and Platonic Love

Sometimes when you care about someone, it's hard to tell if it's platonic or romantic love. It's extremely important to recognize and know the difference if you're moving forward into a relationship. Here's a few differences between the two.

Mary Jo Rapini, MEd, LPC is a psychotherapist, specializing in intimacy, parenting, body image, and relationships.

Reaction Reset is a self-help series that explains the psychology behind why we react negatively and how we can begin to make a positive change. Subscribe for a new episode every other Wednesday!

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[ΜΑΧΗΚΟΥΤΕΛΗ]

Platonic love is like that you are more than friends and less than lovers and is very beautiful!!!

[lunacellebi]

I think platonic love is more romantic than romantic love.

[maeberry]

1. Transparency vs censorship
2. Greater vs lesser expectations
3. Flexible vs strict boundaries
4. Selfish vs selfless

[OXYLADE]

Basically Romantic love comes with more headaches :D

[dryest-bones]

If you are unsure if you do, or if you do *not* experience romantic attraction:
you're valid. you're perfect the way you are. i'm sorry if anyone's ever tried to tell you otherwise. feel free to talk with me anytime :)
-an aromantic

[plainbutterfly]

I’m still so confused… I can never tell the difference between platonic and romantic :( I’m not sure if I have a crush on this person or I just like the idea of a relationship but I don’t think it would work cause I’m not sure if it’s actually love or not.
I think this is the result of me wanted to be friends with someone and assuming it’s a crush and forced it to be a crush 😫

[Vjhandle]

I’m experiencing platonic love.. best part is respect we have towards each other, emotional dependency in tough times, good words and times shared, security etc.. but i see we don’t think of a long term commitment.we don’t see at all.. why is it so..?!!

[akinyi]

the problem with me is that this kind of platonic r/ship has its ending and its pain of losing that platonic friend is way worse than a heartbreak

[sarcasmismyfirstlanguage]

So i’ve been romantically in love with my straight best friend this whole time ???

[caribaez]

I don’t care. I prefer honesty. Honest to the honest, I rather want someone to be honest and has a sense of humor. :3

[Janney]

From my experience.. I firmly believe that romantic love won't last unless it starts off with platonic love.. and platonic love is unconditional love.. so romantic love won't last long, w/out platonic love as well, it must be a combo of both.

[_phong.huynh_]

The first time someone told me that they loved me, I got so confused that I said, "I'm not ready!"

They looked at me weird afterwards

[dreammeaname]

Very nice breakdown of some core concepts. Plus you have such a sweet tone in speaking!

[excuzemeleeyum]

I think I'm romantically attracted to my best friend HELP-

[summerpalmer]

my crush told me she would date me if she were gay, but instead im her platonic gf. tysm for this vid. i will still ask her what she thinks of a platonic relationship with me

[seraphimowo]

Oml I've been trying to figure out how i felt about someone i know for a while now! Thankfully i came across this video! I thought i liked this person romantically but now i just link it to how i never really had a close guy friend before. I was very confused bc he hasnt made me feel like i do when i usually have a crush, so learning that it's just platonic feelings has made me feel better.

Edit: omg slightly younger me u were on the right track but strayed away from it. Basically i dated him and it was one of the worse experiences of my life. It's just that i liked him but didnt love him. So i wasted both of our times thinking i would eventually fall in love. If there's a lesson in all of this is to never date someone who u arent 100% sure about. If you keep doubting ur feelings before and during it plz leave and move on.

[yehro]

what I find funny is that the things in this video imply that you can strictly feel either this one or that one, but healthy romantic relationships have all of them. set boundaries, and be flexible when making them (giving your partner trust) and that you can feel selfish but act selfless at the same time because you don't have to be one or the other, you can be both, and in most cases, both leads to stong, healthy, and long lasting romance.

[Kotifilosofi]

And this is the narrative that makes me feel alone and not worthy. Friendship should not be treated as:
- insignificant
- dispendable
- always the second priority
- free from responsibilities
- never having any level of commitment or mutual trust
- free from boundaries

Sounds like she's talking about "pals" rather than true friends of any level. Also, QPR (committed q_eer platonic relationship) exists. It's not always black and white, romantic relationship isn't always "greater" in every aspect than platonic one.

Sincerely, an aroace

[Lucyfer_Eve]

i really needed to listen to this right now i am extremely thankful to you <3

[lizmoon]

I'm still not sure if like them or i just like the idea that i created in my head